The present invention relates to a conveying apparatus for conveying a recording medium such as recording paper.
In a conventional printer provided therein with a conveying apparatus for conveying recording paper, when a maintenance for normalizing conveying function is necessary due to an occurrence of a conveyance error, for example, the following measures are generally taken: the occurrence of such trouble is notified to a user, and then the user performs maintenance for normalizing conveying function on his/her own, or the user requests a service person to perform maintenance.
An example of techniques to notify an occurrence of trouble to a user is a configuration proposed in the Publication of Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-63670 (e.g., paragraph [0043]). According to the proposed configuration, it is determined that a conveyance error (a paper feed error) has occurred when a sequence of actions to be regarded as an error (a paper feed failure) has been repeated a predetermined times, and then an error message is indicated.
This technique enables the user to confirm an occurrence of conveyance error by the error message. However, the user cannot fully understand what measures should be taken to normalize the conveying function of the conveying apparatus since a notification indicating only the occurrence of conveyance error is provided to the user according to the above technique. The conveying function will not be normalized unless the user can fully understand what measures should be taken.
A technique to normalize the conveying function through appropriate measures is proposed in the Publication of Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 6-80277. According to the technique, if a conveyance error occurs (i.e., if the time period, from when a paper feed roller is turned on until a paper feed sensor is turned on, exceeds a predetermined time period), a notification is provided to a host (a personal computer 36) in a service center connected through a communication line (a telephone line).
By using such a technique, a service person of the service center who is familiar with the conveying apparatus may confirm an occurrence of a conveyance error and go to the place where the conveying apparatus is installed to perform appropriate maintenance. Then, the conveying function of the conveying apparatus can surely be normalized.